May 14, 2010

BURLINGAME – David A. Sanchez, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, issued this statement about the governor’s revised state budget spending proposals released today:

“The governor’s revised budget cuts billions more from our public schools. While the governor this year has vowed to protect public education funding, he is actually proposing to cut another $3 billion from schools. And today, as the governor touted that his main goal is to stimulate California’s economy and to protect jobs, thousands of educators will find out they are being laid off. The governor’s promises are proving to be just contradictions that are misleading and unproductive.

“More than 26,000 California teachers received preliminary pink slips this spring and thousands got the final word today that they will not be coming back to their classrooms in the fall. Last year, 16,000 teachers lost their jobs. Our teachers and students are very clear about what’s happening because our school system is at the breaking point and the cuts are devastating our communities.

“California’s public schools and colleges were cut more than $17 billion over the last two years. Today, class sizes are larger, and neighborhood schools have closed their libraries and eliminated arts, music, sports and summer school programs. Our students deserve better.

“Governor, it’s time to keep your promises. Stop gambling with our students’ future and forge a state budget that solves the deficit crisis without more cuts that will only hurt, not help, our students and our state. You can start dealing with our state’s revenue rollercoaster by repealing the tax breaks you handed out to large corporations and oil companies last year.”

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The 325,000-member CTA is affiliated with the 3.2 million-member National Education Association.